Council refuses to lift two-hr parking

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

In an attempt to attract more foot traffic to the downtown core and strengthen Strathmore’s local businesses, council was asked to consider removing the two-hour parking restrictions – a request some local officials deemed currently unnecessary and a carte blanche for unlimited employee parking.
Councillor Bob Sobol brought the request to the forefront at the May 4 regular council meeting, but concerns about allowing business owners and their employees unrestricted parking, possible changes to the area in the future, and a lack of amenities to justify the action resulted in council defeating the motion.
“As a downtown business owner, the way the downtown is right now, I don’t know why anybody needs two hours or more to park down there,” said Councillor Rocky Blokland. “There is nothing major down there to spend two hours on. We want to discourage business employers and employees from parking on the street all day taking away from the public. That’s what parking is there for, for them.”
Council was informed that only 11 parking tickets were issued in 2015 for violating the two-hour rule. Questioning possible changes in the future, such as alterations to the street direction and further businesses moving downtown, the request was putting the cart before the horse for some councillors.
“Right now we have a fair amount of vacant buildings downtown and if we take this away and as these buildings fill up, down the road it could change the whole dynamic of the whole parking issue,” said Councillor Steve Grajczyk.
“I’m concerned about that and I think we’re making a mistake. We’re jumping in too quickly. It’s wrong at this point.”
Nonetheless, other council members sided with the local business community. With efforts being made to revitalize the downtown, the loss of larger business in the past, and a desire to appeal to more people, removing the two-hour parking signs may prove to be a step in the right direction. As 41 businesses signed a petition to remove the restricted parking, Councillor Pat Fule felt the need to support the businesses was of utmost importance.
“I was concerned that this would this just give an open license to park as long as you want and would that affect businesses negatively, but seeing all these businesses that signed, if they feel that to open up the parking would help them, then I would support this,” said Councillor Pat Fule.
“With the loss of the Co-op and the fact that downtown has become the way it is right now, we want to support as many of the businesses as we can. If the business people are requesting this and they’ve come forward in such strength and this is what they want then I’m totally supportive of doing whatever we can to support them.”
According to Councillor Bob Sobol, the Town of Strathmore enacted a bylaw 37 years ago, to prohibit parking for more than two hours in the downtown area from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. While he argued that the action may have been necessary in 1978, he felt it now contributes to a loss of potential customers. The issue was also debated by the Downtown Revitalization Committee, where Councillor Sobol and Councillor Fule represent the town, and was brought before the Traffic Advisory Board Committee.
“We want the message to go out that we’re open, we’re coming in the downtown area, and you don’t do that by giving people $50 for parking for two-and-a-half hours,” said Councillor Bob Sobol.
“My focus is twofold. First I want to put our downtown businessmen and women on even keel with other business people in our community. Second I want to ensure that everyone will understand that our downtown is ready to welcome you … and that you are welcome to spend as much time and hopefully as much money in our downtown area as possible. I’m not alone in this position.”
The motion to remove the two-hour parking signs in the downtown area with an exception to any individual parking stalls where a need has been identified by administration to restrict parking times was defeated on May 4. Councillor Blokland, Councillor Walls, Mayor Ell, and Councillor Grajczyk were opposed.